Professional Documents
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Technology. Final
Technology. Final
Technology. Final
Technology
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2
Technology
Nowadays retailers heavily use different types of software applications to manage the
flux processes and increase the consumer engagement. The three types of systems most used by
retailers are Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Customer Relationship Management, and
Enterprise Resource Planning. Each of these systems caters to different sets of services and it
provides a set of benefits tailored to the requirement of the retailers. This essay will explore the
similarities and differences between APS, CRM, and ERP systems and identify which one will
be the most preferential for a retailer who economically cannot afford to apply all three
simultaneously.
APS systems are made to maximize the productivity and the distribution processes by
effectively managing the resources like materials, equipment’s, and personnel. These systems are
based on modern algorithms and modeling techniques, so they can predict the cuts precisely,
make the production plans, distribute the resources efficiently, and order the inventory in the
most appropriate manner. APS systems simplify the retailers' processes, lower the production
expenses, rise productivity, and create happier customers through on-time delivery of the
products.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are built to handle interactions and
relationships with customers in the whole customer life cycle. CRM systems constitute Customer
databases that are gathered from various sources, for instance sales, marketing, customer service
and social media, and are consolidated into one central unit (Petrović, 2020). Moreover, retailers
can get a united view of their customers' data that brings insights into customer's interests,
tendencies, and purchases. The most important advantage of CRM systems is that they can tailor
the marketing campaigns to the specific needs of customers using this data. Through customers’
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information, retailers can personalize offers and tailor promotions for individual customers,
leading to more positive responses eventually. These individualized techniques not only enhance
the effectiveness of marketing campaigns but also results in stronger customer bonds and
relationships. Moreover, CRM systems allow retailers to offer excellent customer service
(Petrović, 2020). Customer service representatives will use the purchase history and preference
insights to help them to offer personalized assistance and solve the problems fast and effectively.
This individualized service can result in the rise of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
ERPs provide an integration point for all the primary business processes and functions so
that modules for finance, human resources, supply chain management, manufacturing, and sales
are all housed on a single centralized platform (Faccia & Petratos, 2021). These systems give a
retailer the ability to streamline operations, automate recurrent tasks, guarantee the authenticity
and harmony of data, make real-time resolutions, and develop the productivity and efficiency of
an enterprise. ERP systems enable retailers to have a complete view of their entire business
operations, from start to finish, and thus better allocate resources, manage costs, and plan
strategically.
A retailer dealing with financial limitations and hence cannot afford to implement all the
three systems can opt to begin with a CRM system (Petrović, 2020). Through CRM systems,
retailers can immediately derive value by knowing their customers better, personalizing
marketing initiatives, and conducting customer service of higher quality, which all lead to strong
sales and build customer loyalty. Through the CRM system, the retailer will be able to focus on
revenue without the need to spend a huge amount of money on the complex ERP or APS
solutions.
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In summary, APS, CRM, and ERP systems are meant to fulfill different tasks in the
process of running retail operations improving business performance. Innovation APS systems
allows for optimization of production and distribution processes while ERP systems unifies core
business functions, and CRM systems are oriented on client relationship management. For a
retailer with limited financial resources, the best choice would be to implement a CRM system
first, as it would immediately bring value in terms of better customer engagement, more sales,
and higher profitability. With wise CRM system investment, the retailer is ready to cope with the
References
Wang, L. C., Chen, C. C., Liu, J. L., & Chu, P. C. (2021). Framework and deployment of a
47.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1821-3448/2020/1821-34482002040P.pdf
Faccia, A., & Petratos, P. (2021). Blockchain, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and